1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to dispensing equipment and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a dispensing valve for a beverage dispenser that emits audible information therefrom.
2. Description of the Related Art
Soft drink beverage dispensers are growing in popularity and availability. From fast-food restaurants to multiplex movie theaters, the use of soft drink beverage dispensers is expanding into many new commercial markets. As a result, more people than ever before enjoy today's convenience of selecting a beverage of choice from an array of different drink flavors. Typically, a beverage dispenser features several dispensing valves whereby each dispensing valve is assigned a single drink flavor. By placing a cup under a dispensing valve and activating its nozzle via a lever interface, the valve dispenses the desired flavored drink into the cup at a preset volume and temperature.
In these new commercial settings, however, many new consumer demands have been imposed on beverage dispensers. For example, there is a demand to design a beverage dispenser that can sufficiently indicate merchandising information to a large number customers.
Specifically, today's beverage dispensers only feature small visual indicators that display the availability of drink flavors on every dispensing valve so that an operator, by looking at a specific indicator, can access the appropriate dispensing valve to obtain the desired flavored drink. These indicators are often obscured by the other products that display visual merchandising information which may be cluttered around and/or on the beverage dispenser, thus, limiting the beverage dispenser's ability to convey its own message. As such, today's beverage dispensers are not configured to convey merchandising information to a large number of customers, especially through audio means.
Accordingly, a beverage dispenser that clearly and distinctly indicates merchandising information to a large number of customers is highly desirable.